British time trial round-up

Another weekend of mixed weather made for some challenging conditions for time trials up and down the country – none more so than the National 50 in Hampshire where the start of the women’s event was delayed by 30 minutes on Saturday because of torrential rain.

And that picture was repeated across the country with heavy rain blighting mainly Saturday events, while Sunday escaped with just the odd shower.

But it didn’t stop some riders clocking good times.

Berwick Wheelers’ Harry Armstrong proved victorious in the Kent Valley CC Midsummer 10 with an impressive time of 20-10, winning by 17 seconds from Jack Green (VC St Raphael), while Ian Stott (Blackburn & Dist CTC) completed the podium, another three seconds off the pace.

And the following day, the same club staged a 25 on largely the same roads, with Cleveleys Road Club rider Derek Parkinson taking a comfortable win with 51-51, almost two minutes quicker than his nearest rival.

Across the Pennines in North Yorkshire, in-form Keith Murray belied the conditions when he broke his own course record for the V236/1 course at Topcliffe.

His time of 51-49 was good enough for victory by almost two minutes from Preston Wheelers’ Robin Brennan (53-42), while Ian Fairweather (Yorkshire RC) was third, another three seconds back.

Murray made it a double winning weekend when he proved fastest in the Ferryhill Wheelers 20 at Staindrop in County Durham 24 hours later. His time of 47-51 was enough for victory by 1-05, and also helped Ferryhill take the team prize alongside Howard Heighton (5th) and Steven Davison (12th).

Down in Staffordshire on Sunday, Scott Westwood (Walsall RCC) won the Mercia CC 25 at Fradley with 53-26, just four seconds faster than runner-up Barry Charlton (Lyme RC).

But one of the best 25 times of the weekend went to Team Lutterworth Cycle Centre rider Matt Sinclair, whose time of 50-32 for the A25/22 at Long Bennington in Lincolnshire was good enough for victory by 48 seconds in the Melton Olympic CC event on Saturday.

Leigh Premier Road Club dominated the podium at the Fred Gratton Memorial 25 in Cheshire, staged by Janus Road Club on the J2/9 course at Goostrey.

Simon Bridge and Mark Turnbull secured a one-two for the club, with Bridge winning with 54-11 while Turnbull was second, 18 seconds adrift. South Pennine RC’s Charles Taylor was third, just four seconds slower.

Over in Wales, Jonathan Shubert (Ystwyth CC) battled through some challenging conditions and terrain to win the West Wales CL 100 on Sunday. His time of 4-00-16 for the R100 at Llanwrda in Carmarthenshire was good enough for victory by more than 11 minutes from his nearest rival, 48-year-old veteran Colin Wallace (Merthyr CC).

Worksop in Nottinghamshire was the place to be for fast veterans on Saturday, with the VTTA North Midlands staging a 25-mile event on the O25/3.

Evergreen Ron Hallam (South Pennine RC) defied his 80 years with victory in the event. He clocked 1-03-36 to record a plus of 25-18, 38 seconds better than runner-up Derek Hodgins, 77 and a member of Stockport Clarion, while spring chicken Len Grayson (Team Swift) was third, the 74-year-old having a plus of 23-18.

Actual fastest and sixth on age standard was Planet X rider Ian Cammish with 51-27.

Meanwhile, Shay Giles (VC Elan) was pick of the bunch in the VTTA Kent 25 at Ashford on Sunday.

He recorded a plus of 18-00 to win by around two and a half minutes from namesake Robert Giles (Rye and District Wheelers), while actual fastest was VC Elan’s Andy Miles with 55-06.

BioBike RT’s Chris Ball won the Poole Wheelers 10 in Dorset on Sunday, clocking 20-14 for the P415. But on a far from ideal day he was more than minute short of his own two-year-old course record of 18-51.

Benjamin Pearce (Andover Wheelers) was second with 20-59, while Bryce Dyer (VC St Raphael) was another 16 seconds off the pace in third.

While missing out on the podium, the promoting club did win the team and junior categories, the latter being courtesy of Jordan Wade who clocked 26-32.